Controlling dust mites comes within the category of pest control; for those without an idea of what dust mites are: these are voracious microscopic insects that consider dead skin cells as the ultimate treats and inhabit the pillows, mattresses, stuffed animals and carpets – to be more precise – anything that has a trace of fabric. But dust mites are not an active source of torment; it’s their skin and fecal pellets that are rated highly allergenic causing asthma, eczema as well as other allergies like hay fever. Ready to call the bug exterminator? Wait, the greater part of the story yet remains untold.

How do you know your home is invaded by these tiny terrors? Respiratory symptoms and rashes are good indications, since the proteins from the dust mites’ digestive juices are potent allergens. Especially for babies; prolonged mite exposures during childhood often culminate into lifelong allergies. But then again, bringing the exterminators home is no cure; at the most, they can help in taking the required preventive measures by controlling their population levels in the beds, in the mattresses and everywhere that is warm and moist.

Then how about killing them one by one by squishing them to a pulp? Ask any bug exterminator and be prepared for a loud laughter hitting your face; dust mites are approximately 250 to 300 microns in size with translucent bodies and at least, a 10X magnification is required to make them visible to the human eye. Now, that’s the job of an electron microscope; with a fraction of its cost, you can hire a pest control agency for getting your job done. But then again, there are preventive measures that can keep the population of dust mites in your house to the minimum, thus saving as well the amount that would otherwise have left for the bug exterminator’s wallet.

• Dust control: Reducing the concentration of dust in a living environment prevents the transportation of allergens. The symptoms can be reduced up to a great extent that way.
  
  
• Vacuum cleaning: A high-efficiency-particulate-arresting or HEPA vacuum cleaner does the job best; use it once a week to trap micro-level allergenic particles.
  
  
• Washing has its own virtues: A weekly wash of the pillowcases and bed sheets with the water heated to 130°F or 55°C (minimum) and mixed with anti-allergenic detergents is an effective measure; else, try freezing them to death.



• Cut on the humidity part: A humidity level under 50% is bad news for both dust mites and related allergens, which need high humidity levels to survive. Air conditioning can do it for you, coupled with a high-efficiency air filter with anti-microbial properties.



• Use bleach: In case an anti-allergenic detergent is not available, using bleach with an ordinary detergent can also work wonders. But then again, you need to put into effect the other measures to take care of the remaining two percent.

Now that everything is told and understood, we hope your home to be the first one to clear out of the mitey problems.